YEREVAN (Armenpress/Noyan Tapan)–Armenia’s foreign minister Vartan Oskanian stated during a televised interview last Sunday that Armenia is preparing to take in hundreds of Armenian refugees from Iraq who may flee to Armenia in the event of a military campaign. Oskanian said the foreign ministry is currently taking steps to ease the issuance of Armenian visas to Armenia’s residing in Iraq.
The families of Armenian diplomats working in Iraq have already been transported home–and proper measures are being taken to ensure the safety of the diplomats–who will have arrived in Yerevan before the start of a war.
Oskanian reiterated that Armenia favors a UN brokered settlement to the Iraqi crisis–adding "We constantly consult with Russia and the US," concerning the crisis.
The Armenian community in Iraq has some 15,000 members–concentrated mainly in the capital of Baghdad and other cities.